Poles order three Kormoran II minehunters

Poland’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has revealed it inked a contract to buy three more Kormoran II-class minehunters for the Polish Navy.

On 26 June, a contract for the procurement of three more Kormoran II mine counter measure (MCM) vessels and additional support packages was signed at Naval Base Świnoujście.

Together with the first ship of the class, ORP Kormoran, and other two units ORP Mewa and ORP Albatros, they will be part of the mine defense system of the Polish Navy.

The ships will be delivered in 2026 and 2027 and will be part of the 12. Minesweeper Squadron (8th Coastal Defense Flotilla).

In March this year, the country’s Minister of National Defence Mariusz Blaszczak announced plans to acquire  three more Kormoran II-class minehunters this year,

Kormoran II-class minehunters are 58,5 meters long and have a complement of 45 personnel and a top speed of 15 knots. 

The non-magnetic steel-hulled ships displace 850 tons, feature the locally-developed SCOT-M combat management system and are equipped with Saab’s Double Eagle Mk III remotely operated vehicle (ROV). They are armed with a twin-barreled auto-cannon in addition to machine guns and rocket launchers.

The lead ship ORP Kormoran (601) was commissioned on 28 November 2017. The second vessel Albatros was launched in 2019, and the construction of the third vessel started the same day.

With this new purchase, the Polish Navy will operate a total of six Kormoran II-class minehunters.